PALO ALTO, Calif., March 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- VMware, Inc.
(NYSE: EMC), the global leader in software for industry-standard
virtualized desktops and servers, today announced the public beta of VMware
ACE 2 Enterprise edition. VMware ACE is a breakthrough product that enables
IT desktop managers to create a standard PC environment including operating
system, data and applications, wrap it with IT policies to protect the
contents, package it into a virtual machine and deploy it to any managed or
unmanaged PC endpoint.
The second generation of VMware ACE is designed to deliver the only
controlled and easily managed enterprise-class virtualization product for
deploying desktops to any PC, providing a rich virtual desktop environment
to end users while maintaining the control required by the governing IT
organization.
"IT administrators need tighter desktop control and management because
they are tasked with supporting increasing numbers of workers who use
equipment over which they have no control," said Jerry Chen, director of
enterprise desktop platforms and solutions at VMware. "VMware ACE 2
Enterprise edition offers the best of both worlds -- IT administrators can
easily manage thousands of users while effectively upholding corporate IT
policies, and the end user can be productive with a desktop that has the
identical look and feel of an IT-owned PC. It's like handing out a secure,
controlled laptop without the cost and hassle of provisioning new
hardware."
VMware ACE 2 Enterprise edition public beta includes a new desktop
mobility feature, Pocket ACE, which enables deployment of a full-featured
desktop virtual machine to a portable media device such as a USB flash
drive, portable hard drive or Apple iPod. End users can load a secure
desktop onto the media device, plug it into a licensed PC or laptop and
access the desktop from nearly anywhere with network connectivity.
The product also features the newly introduced VMware ACE Management
Server, which allows IT administrators to centrally track and manage
thousands of VMware ACE desktops and apply standard policies to them from a
single console. As the first production-ready VMware virtual appliance, the
VMware ACE Management Server is available pre-installed, pre-configured and
ready to deploy. In addition, VMware ACE 2 Enterprise edition public beta
utilizes the latest VMware virtualization platform, enabling IT
administrators to use VMware Workstation 6 to create and securely package
VMware ACE virtual machines for deployment to end users who then can run
them on any licensed PC or laptop.
"We have hundreds of laptops with different versions of hardware and
software that are costing us huge dollars to upgrade and then certify with
Health Canada each time we make hardware or software changes in order to
adhere to Canadian healthcare regulations," said David Zavitske, IT
technical support analyst in workstation management for Canadian Blood
Services. "With VMware ACE, we're moving to certifying applications on
hardware-independent virtual machines to streamline the regulatory
compliance while ensuring application functionality, as well as enabling
rapid deployment of these laptops for our mobile blood donation vehicles
using USB keys with pre-loaded desktop configurations via the Pocket ACE
feature."
"With VMware ACE, my IT team can build an image that has just enough
functionality to get the job done, but blocks any unnecessary functionality
that would only open that machine up to trouble," said Michel Labelle,
network and terminal support manager for TSI. "For example, they can
disable USB support so data can't be pulled off with a USB keychain, or Web
browsing so the trainee can't go and download a virus by mistake."
VMware ACE 2 Enterprise edition public beta benefits include:
*Streamlined enterprise desktop management. Supporting users on unmanaged
hardware can require IT administrators to create, test, provision and
migrate a separate desktop image for every flavor of PC hardware being
supported. Administrators now can create standard desktop images using
VMware Workstation 6, then deploy and manage them with the VMware ACE
Management Server. This results in the ability to easily manage numerous
virtual machines while reducing the number of images to create and
enabling faster desktop deployments.
*Simplified policy control. A single management interface provides
centralized policy management of desktop virtual machines deployed on
existing PCs. The VMware ACE Management Server supports dynamic updates
of IT policies and manages virtual machine expiration dates, device and
network access configurations and activation or deactivation of VMware
ACE clients at any time.
*Isolated environments. IT administrators can create secure and isolated
VMware ACE desktop environments for use on existing PCs that are separate
from the user's personal settings. This allows administrators to manage
and control the VMware ACE desktop without infringing on the user's
freedom to utilize PC features that might be restricted within the VMware
ACE environment.
*Easy backup and recovery. IT administrators can take snapshots of stable
virtual machine configurations and roll back to the previous state
quickly and easily.
*Expanded operating system support. In addition to support for Windows
Vista, VMware ACE 2 Enterprise edition public beta offers Linux host
operating system support for Mandriva, Novell, Red Hat and Ubuntu.
*Increased performance and memory support. VMware ACE 2 Enterprise edition
public beta leverages the latest virtualization platform from VMware,
including support for USB 2.0, and supports virtual machines of up to
8 GB in size.
Pricing and Availability
VMware ACE 2 Enterprise edition is currently in public beta for Linux
and Windows users and is available for download at
www.vmware.com/products/beta/ace/ . The product is expected to be generally
available in the second quarter of 2007. Pricing will be announced at the
time of general availability.
About VMware, Inc.
VMware, an EMC company, is the global leader in virtual infrastructure
software for industry-standard systems. The world's largest companies use
VMware solutions to simplify their IT, fully leverage their existing
computing investments and respond faster to changing business demands.
VMware is based in Palo Alto, California. For more information, visit
www.vmware.com or call 650-475-5000.
NOTE: VMware is a registered trademark or trademark of VMware, Inc. in
the United States and/or other jurisdictions. All other marks and names
mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.
This release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined under the
Federal Securities Laws. Actual results could differ materially from those
projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of certain risk
factors, including but not limited to: (i) adverse changes in general
economic or market conditions; (ii) delays or reductions in information
technology spending; (iii) risks associated with acquisitions and
investments, including the challenges and costs of integration,
restructuring and achieving anticipated synergies; (iv) competitive
factors, including but not limited to pricing pressures and new product
introductions; (v) the relative and varying rates of product price and
component cost declines and the volume and mixture of product and services
revenues; (vi) component and product quality and availability; (vii) the
transition to new products, the uncertainty of customer acceptance of new
product offerings and rapid technological and market change; (viii)
insufficient, excess or obsolete inventory; (ix) war or acts of terrorism;
(x) the ability to attract and retain highly qualified employees; (xi)
fluctuating currency exchange rates; and (xii) other one-time events and
other important factors disclosed previously and from time to time in EMC's
filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. EMC disclaims any
obligation to update any such forward-looking statements after the date of
this release.

SOURCE VMware, Inc.

PALO ALTO, Calif., March 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- VMware, Inc.
(NYSE: EMC), the global leader in software for industry-standard
virtualized desktops and servers, today announced the public beta of VMware
ACE 2 Enterprise edition. VMware ACE is a breakthrough product that enables
IT desktop managers to create a standard PC environment including operating
system, data and applications, wrap it with IT policies to protect the
contents, package it into a virtual machine and deploy it to any managed or
unmanaged PC endpoint.
The second generation of VMware ACE is designed to deliver the only
controlled and easily managed enterprise-class virtualization product for
deploying desktops to any PC, providing a rich virtual desktop environment
to end users while maintaining the control required by the governing IT
organization.
"IT administrators need tighter desktop control and management because
they are tasked with supporting increasing numbers of workers who use
equipment over which they have no control," said Jerry Chen, director of
enterprise desktop platforms and solutions at VMware. "VMware ACE 2
Enterprise edition offers the best of both worlds -- IT administrators can
easily manage thousands of users while effectively upholding corporate IT
policies, and the end user can be productive with a desktop that has the
identical look and feel of an IT-owned PC. It's like handing out a secure,
controlled laptop without the cost and hassle of provisioning new
hardware."
VMware ACE 2 Enterprise edition public beta includes a new desktop
mobility feature, Pocket ACE, which enables deployment of a full-featured
desktop virtual machine to a portable media device such as a USB flash
drive, portable hard drive or Apple iPod. End users can load a secure
desktop onto the media device, plug it into a licensed PC or laptop and
access the desktop from nearly anywhere with network connectivity.
The product also features the newly introduced VMware ACE Management
Server, which allows IT administrators to centrally track and manage
thousands of VMware ACE desktops and apply standard policies to them from a
single console. As the first production-ready VMware virtual appliance, the
VMware ACE Management Server is available pre-installed, pre-configured and
ready to deploy. In addition, VMware ACE 2 Enterprise edition public beta
utilizes the latest VMware virtualization platform, enabling IT
administrators to use VMware Workstation 6 to create and securely package
VMware ACE virtual machines for deployment to end users who then can run
them on any licensed PC or laptop.
"We have hundreds of laptops with different versions of hardware and
software that are costing us huge dollars to upgrade and then certify with
Health Canada each time we make hardware or software changes in order to
adhere to Canadian healthcare regulations," said David Zavitske, IT
technical support analyst in workstation management for Canadian Blood
Services. "With VMware ACE, we're moving to certifying applications on
hardware-independent virtual machines to streamline the regulatory
compliance while ensuring application functionality, as well as enabling
rapid deployment of these laptops for our mobile blood donation vehicles
using USB keys with pre-loaded desktop configurations via the Pocket ACE
feature."
"With VMware ACE, my IT team can build an image that has just enough
functionality to get the job done, but blocks any unnecessary functionality
that would only open that machine up to trouble," said Michel Labelle,
network and terminal support manager for TSI. "For example, they can
disable USB support so data can't be pulled off with a USB keychain, or Web
browsing so the trainee can't go and download a virus by mistake."
VMware ACE 2 Enterprise edition public beta benefits include:
*Streamlined enterprise desktop management. Supporting users on unmanaged
hardware can require IT administrators to create, test, provision and
migrate a separate desktop image for every flavor of PC hardware being
supported. Administrators now can create standard desktop images using
VMware Workstation 6, then deploy and manage them with the VMware ACE
Management Server. This results in the ability to easily manage numerous
virtual machines while reducing the number of images to create and
enabling faster desktop deployments.
*Simplified policy control. A single management interface provides
centralized policy management of desktop virtual machines deployed on
existing PCs. The VMware ACE Management Server supports dynamic updates
of IT policies and manages virtual machine expiration dates, device and
network access configurations and activation or deactivation of VMware
ACE clients at any time.
*Isolated environments. IT administrators can create secure and isolated
VMware ACE desktop environments for use on existing PCs that are separate
from the user's personal settings. This allows administrators to manage
and control the VMware ACE desktop without infringing on the user's
freedom to utilize PC features that might be restricted within the VMware
ACE environment.
*Easy backup and recovery. IT administrators can take snapshots of stable
virtual machine configurations and roll back to the previous state
quickly and easily.
*Expanded operating system support. In addition to support for Windows
Vista, VMware ACE 2 Enterprise edition public beta offers Linux host
operating system support for Mandriva, Novell, Red Hat and Ubuntu.
*Increased performance and memory support. VMware ACE 2 Enterprise edition
public beta leverages the latest virtualization platform from VMware,
including support for USB 2.0, and supports virtual machines of up to
8 GB in size.
Pricing and Availability
VMware ACE 2 Enterprise edition is currently in public beta for Linux
and Windows users and is available for download at
www.vmware.com/products/beta/ace/ . The product is expected to be generally
available in the second quarter of 2007. Pricing will be announced at the
time of general availability.
About VMware, Inc.
VMware, an EMC company, is the global leader in virtual infrastructure
software for industry-standard systems. The world's largest companies use
VMware solutions to simplify their IT, fully leverage their existing
computing investments and respond faster to changing business demands.
VMware is based in Palo Alto, California. For more information, visit
www.vmware.com or call 650-475-5000.
NOTE: VMware is a registered trademark or trademark of VMware, Inc. in
the United States and/or other jurisdictions. All other marks and names
mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.
This release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined under the
Federal Securities Laws. Actual results could differ materially from those
projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of certain risk
factors, including but not limited to: (i) adverse changes in general
economic or market conditions; (ii) delays or reductions in information
technology spending; (iii) risks associated with acquisitions and
investments, including the challenges and costs of integration,
restructuring and achieving anticipated synergies; (iv) competitive
factors, including but not limited to pricing pressures and new product
introductions; (v) the relative and varying rates of product price and
component cost declines and the volume and mixture of product and services
revenues; (vi) component and product quality and availability; (vii) the
transition to new products, the uncertainty of customer acceptance of new
product offerings and rapid technological and market change; (viii)
insufficient, excess or obsolete inventory; (ix) war or acts of terrorism;
(x) the ability to attract and retain highly qualified employees; (xi)
fluctuating currency exchange rates; and (xii) other one-time events and
other important factors disclosed previously and from time to time in EMC's
filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. EMC disclaims any
obligation to update any such forward-looking statements after the date of
this release.
SOURCE VMware, Inc.